The term communication services is meant to mean conventional telephony services, telex services, datapack services, datel services, telefax services, videotext services, ISDN-services, mobile telephony services, personal paging services, tele-point-services and general communication between two or more parties. The services recited above are only examples of the services possible and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
The term telecommunication network is normally meant to mean the telephone networks, telex networks, circuit connected data networks, picture information transfer networks, private telecommunication networks, radio networks, satellite communication networks and general carriers of the communication services, such as analog transmission, digital transmission, synchronous, multiplex or asynchronous multiplex transmission, ATM, etc., for example. These networks are recited solely by way of example and the invention is not restricted thereto.
The term functionality is meant to mean the ability to perform an operation in a telecommunication network. Examples of functionality include activities and services that can be performed in the telecommunication network. Examples of functionalities include an enquiry to establish a connection path or route between two parties, digit analysis, billing or ticketing. Although not necessary, the functionality may require the availability of dedicated equipment for carrying out the functionality. For instance, if the functionality is to receive tones and to analyze tones, it is necessary to make a tone receiver accessible. Other examples of functionalities include voice-controlled speech information, number translation service, conference calls. Other examples of functionality include the functionalities described in the aforesaid five Swedish patent applications, namely communication in the form of a meeting, personal paging, a method of establishing cooperation with a functionality, meeting connection establishment and communication via intermediaries. Still another example of functionality is the ability of being able to choose from among several alternatives. By functionality is also meant those services and activities possessed by the intermediary described below, also called electronic secretary.
The term connection is meant to mean a circuit-coupled connection or a package-coupled connection. The term to establish a connection is meant to mean in the circuit coupled case that a circuit-coupled connection is established between two hardware terminal devices (or equipment) and in the package coupled case it is meant that a package coupled connection creates relationships between logic channels on node-interconnecting physical links which.
The term to originate or to terminate a connection is meant to mean in the circuit-coupled case to connect originating or terminating equipment to a circuit-coupled connection, and in the package-coupled case to create a session between applications in originating and terminating nodes respectively.
The term user is meant to mean in the following a human user or a computer-based application which utilizes communication services. The application may be achieved with hardware, software and combinations thereof. The word "party" is synonymous with the term user.
The term terminal is meant to mean equipment which is connected to a telecommunication network and which makes the telecommunication services of the network available to a user.
The term port either refers to an access port or to a transit port. An access port is a location where a dedicated terminal is connected to a telecommunication network. An access port is associated with a destination address which goes to an end user. In the case of a standard telephone network, the access ports are located in a telephone station. In the case of the ISDN-network and the mobile telephone network, the access ports are found in a terminal. A transit port is a port in a connection between nodes. A transit port is not associated with any particular destination address, and can be used to establish any selected connection with a final destination. The final destination is given by the destination address. A transit port can transfer a call to another node or can receive a call from another node.
The final destination of a call is a terminal which is identified by a destination identity. The terminal can be present in the same node as a transit port or in some other node to which the call shall be further connected.
One drawback with present-day telecommunication methods is that a call from a party A to a party B is always associated with the establishment of a connection route from A to B. Call and establishment of a connection route is a continuous process. This means that the ability of both parties to influence the communication phase of the connection is extremely limited. Among other things, this means that on the part of A the call must be made in real time, and means that when the call is signalled, party B can only choose between two alternatives, namely either to reject or to accept the call.
In present-day communication networks, each party has an addressee or destination identity, in the following shortened to destination-ID, which are mutually identical irrespective of whether the party concerned is an originating or a terminating user. By destination-ID is meant, for instance, telephone number, electronic-mail-address, telex number, telefax number, etc.
If one party is an authorized user in several different telecommunication networks, the party will have a different destination-ID in each network. The fact that one party may be authorized in several different networks should mean, in principle, that the party is readily accessible to foreign users. However, in order to establish a connection with a party which is authorized in several different networks, it is necessary for a foreign user
Another drawback associated with the fact that a call from A to B is a continuous process, occurs when B is mobile, changes his place of residence, etc.
When the system concerned is a conventional telephony system, it is possible in the case of certain networks for a mobile user to redirect the telephony service. This involves redirecting the user's normal destination-ID, for instance the telephone number of the user's main office, to another destination-ID, normally belonging to another user, e.g. a department office. When a foreign user calls while using a normal destination-ID, the telephone in the department office will ring. The user himself is obliged to initiate this redirection and must, himself, cancel the same. When the user is an authorized user in many telecommunication networks and this redirection shall take place in all of said networks, it is necessary for the user to maintain accurate bookwork in respect of each redirection and its cancellation in respective networks.
When seen from the aspect of the network, such redirection constitutes a problem, since it is necessary for the network to be aware of the new destination-identity. Expressed another way, it is necessary for the network to keep a check on the mobile user. In a mobile telephony network, a user has a mobile terminal as a fixed address and the network obtains continuous information as to where the fixed address is located geographically in the network. This enables a foreign caller to always be able to call the mobile terminal, irrespective of where the terminal is located within the area covered by the mobile telephone network. The technical solutions applied within mobile telephony to enable communication for mobile users is highly complex and the hardware and software used is highly specialized. The hardware and the software are highly integrated so as to constitute a solution to the total problem of enabling communication for mobile users. The following examples illustrate the procedures that hardware components and software components must be capable of carrying out:
Another drawback with present-day communication services is that a user obtains access to services through the medium of separate telecommunication networks having different access methods and also having terminals which are of mutually different natures, depending on respective networks. For example, the telex service can only be obtained by using a telex apparatus, the telefax service can only be obtained through a telefax machine, the mobile telephony service can only be obtained via a mobile telephone, the data communication service can only be obtained with the aid of a computer and a modem, the telephony service can only be obtained through a telephone apparatus, etc. A so-called short number which is used in one network to call a subscriber differs from a short number used in another network to call the same subscriber.
Still another drawback of present-day telecommunication services is that a user who is engaged with a connection in one telecommunication network can scarcely be engaged in the communication phase of a connection in another network, for practical reasons.
Devices for receiving and storing messages are known to the art. One such device is known under the name "Voice Response" and enables customers to order, obtain information, book, etc., from their own telephone twenty-four hours a day. Another known device of this kind is called "Voice Mail". This device answers and receives messages when the customer is not able to do this himself. The customer is able to listen to Voice Mail and to reply to the messages from any telephone whatsoever throughout the world. Another known device is called "Voice Operator". This device always answers at the first signal and offloads the user's exchange and also makes it easier for the foreign user to arrive at the correct person. Another known device is called "Audiotex" and is a telephone service resembling video text.
All of these known devices serve as message storage sites. The storage site, or location, is stationary in the respective networks in which it is found. Stored messages can only be collected by the customer if the customer is found in the same network as the device. When a customer has several such storage devices in several different networks, it is necessary for the customer to check each of the devices by calling the storage devices, each in turn, while stating respective destination addresses. Even though no device has a message stored therein, it is still necessary for the customer to check the storage device, in all cases, in order to ascertain whether or not a message is stored in respective devices.
Another drawback with these known storage devices is that the message which a foreign user wishes to give to the customer, i.e., the owner of the storage device, is always steered to a predetermined, given place, where it is stored. Some known storage devices deliver an alert-signal to the customer each time a message is stored. "Communication" between the foreign user and the customer is terminated therewith. In order for something to happen with the message, it is up to the customer to take the next step, i.e., to contact the place or location at which the message is stored, and to collect the message therefrom.
Communication traditionally involves establishing connections between starting points from the originating party in a direction towards the destination stated when making the call. This traditional procedure of establishing connections will sometimes result in restrictions, for instance when the party to which the call is addressed is mobile, in which case it is necessary for the network to keep a check on the location of the addressed party in the network. If the addressed party uses several different telecommunication networks and is mobile, there is at present no possibility of the originating party to establish communication with the mobile party through a call, since the originating party is unaware of the communication network used by the mobile party at that particular time, i.e., at the time of making the call.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,969 relates to a communication system comprising a telephone connected to a stationary telephone answering machine. A stationary radio transmitter and a stationary radio receiver are connected to the answering machine. A mobile radio transmitter and receiver unit is carried by a subscriber of the telephone, allowing the subscriber to take and to make calls when he is mobile. The system operates in the following way: Party A places a call to party B. The call is terminated by B:s answering machine which requests the caller, party A, to dial his telephone number. The telephone answering machine now triggers the stationary radio transmitter which alerts B:s mobile radio receiver. Suitable devices connected to the answering machine will simultaneously convert A:s telephone number into digital form. The telephone number modulates the stationary transmitter and is broadcasted, together with the alert, to B:s mobile radio receiver which now beeps and displays the calling party's telephone number. Party A may either promptly telephone back to party A or may store the transferred A-number into memory storage for retrieval at a later time. To provide a "real time" acknowledgement to the calling party A, notifying the calling party that the call and the calling number has been received the mobile transmitter transmits, to the stationary receiver at the answering machine, an acknowledgement signal that triggers the answering machine to play back a prerecorded message to the caller via the stationary telephone, informing the caller that the phone call has been received by the called party B along with the calling party's telephone number and that a return telephone call will be made.
This previously known communication system operates well for its intended purpose but has the drawback that the calling party must hang up and await a return call from the called party B. Accordingly the calling party must follow a very specific call procedure in order to communicate: he must first dial the B:number, then dial his own number, then hang up and wait for a return call. This is awkward.
In contrast to U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,969 in the present invention, the call from the calling party is parked at the intermediary, the intermediary alerts the called party, and the called party makes a decision to accept or to reject the call. If the call is accepted the called party is connected with the parked call and the calling party does not need to dial his number. Accordingly the intermediary is transparent to the caller-transparent in the sense that the calling party does not notice that an intermediary has been involved in the setup of the call. If the call is rejected by the called party, only in this situation, the calling party has to identify himself to the intermediary. When the called party later wants to communicate with the calling party the called party makes a call to his intermediary, not to the calling party as is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,969.